Amal Baig, a Mughal soldier, also joined his ranks. After the death of Shah Jahan, the Mughal battle for succession left the province in turmoil. Lawlessness was rampant. Naldi was infested with dacoits and Sitaram had overcome them in order to restore order to the troubled pargana. Soon, the dacoity was suppressed and Sitaram became the saviour of the masses, after which he began to be compared to the village deity Nishanath. Sitaram built his residence in the village of Suryakunda, where the erstwhile revenue office was also located. Garrisons were set up both at Suryakunda and Hariharanagar. His father was still stationed at Bhusna and he visited him regularly. At this time, he added some talukas of Satair to his jagir. Around 1684, Sitaram's parents died in quick succession. After the sraddha, he went on a pilgrimage to Gaya. His secretary, Muniram Ray, and principal aide, Ramrup Ghosh, accompanied him. The affairs of the jagir were entrusted to his younger brother Lakshmi Narayan. After completing the ceremonial rites at Gaya, he travelled to the Mughal court at Delhi and made a plea for vassal rule under the empire. In 1688, he was granted the title of Raja and additionally granted the right of Southern Bengal extending into the Sunderbans. Reign as monarch In the same year, Sitaram was ceremonially sworn in as the king of Naldi, Satair and the Bhati region of lower Bengal. Although he had become a king, he had no capital. Therefore, he constructed a fortified capital at Mohammadpur, near Suryakunda. Mohammadpur was guarded on three sides by bils and on the east by Madhumati. The fort was square, with each side not less than , built of earthen bricks and surrounded by a moat. Beyond the fort were natural and artificial water bodies for protection. To the north and east was the Kaliganga River. To the west were the beels and Chhatravati river. To the east was Madhumati. In the south, Sitaram constructed a moat extending from east to west, measuring almost a mile in length and in width. Inside the fort, Sitaram set up garrisons and built residences, temples and tanks. He encouraged craftsmen and merchants to set up businesses at Mohammadpur, and soon it became a thriving metropolis abuzz with trade and commerce. Sitaram added new recruits to the army and added an artillery division. His two famous cannons, Kale Khan and Jhumjhum